Hydration-induced climb dissociation of dislocations in naturally deformed mantle olivine

Widely dissociated dislocations have been observed in mantle olivine from the Erro-Tobbio peridotite in N.W. Italy. Analysis of diffraction contrast in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) indicates that the dissociation reaction involves the climb dissociation on (001) and {021} planes of b=001] unit dislocations into partial dislocations with Burgers vectors approximately equal to 1/x 011. In the most extreme case a unit dislocation dissociates into four partials which bound three planar defects. The unusually wide dissociation and the greater extent of dissociation in olivine from amphibole-bearing rocks suggests that the dissociation is related to hydration. The occurrence of fluid inclusions along the dislocations confirms that the partials and planar defects are saturated with volatiles. Analysis of possible planar defect structures in Fo₉₀ shows that; (i) the most likely partial Burgers vectors are b=0 3/11 1/4; (ii) two of the planar defects are cation-deficient and can be stabilised by segregation of H⁺ to produce (Mg, Fe) (OH)₂ layers which are iso-structural with the OH-rich interlayer of the humite group minerals; (iii) the central planar defect is formed by removing a stoichiometric olivine (002) layer so does not produce any local chemical changes. The climb dissociation provides a possible mechanism for the transformation of olivine to a humite group mineral. OH-rich interlayers may nucleate on dislocations and extend into the crystal by climb resulting in a gradual increase of (Mg, Fe) (OH)₂ content. The only addition of material required is hydrogen which can rapidly diffuse into olivine. If the dissociation is stable and occurs at high temperatures and pressures it may significantly influence the nature and kinetics of deformation mechanisms and the olivine — spinel shear transformation mechanism in hydrated olivine.